Rannoch Moor

FOT119064

RM Rights Managed

Lake; Hills; Mountains; Bog; Scottish; Scotland; Pond; Pool; Reeds; Grasses; Monochrome; Black And White; B&W

It's been said that the mood of the Scottish landscape depends on the weather more than anywhere else on Earth. And Rannoch Moor is probably the most extreme example of that. Imagine a triangular area, stood on its apex, about 10 miles across its base and about 10 miles from top to bottom. Imagine that this 50 square mile inverted triangle is a roughly level plateau that sits at an altitude of a little over 1000ft. Imagine that its surface is dotted with innumerable lochs, lochans, peat bogs, and streams; that it is surrounded by mountains that rise to over 3000ft to the south-east and the west and to over 2000ft in the north. And, finally, imagine that this area is crossed by a railway line, running a little inside the south-east side of the triangle, and a single road, running a little inside the south-west side of the triangle. Congratulations: you've just invented Rannoch Moor. Most people first see Rannoch Moor when driving north from Bridge of Orchy. Near Achallader the main road and the railway line diverge and the road makes a sweeping climb up to the Rannoch Moor plateau. What you find there can be a glory of heather and lochan surrounded by distant mountains. Or it can be a grey cloud-shrouded landscape through which you catch occasional glimpses of an other-worldly landscape. If Achallader marks the southern apex of Rannoch Moor's triangle, then the other two are equally distinctive. In the north-east lies Rannoch Station and the end of the public road in from Pitlochry, 40 mi

David Hudson

David Hudson

2006-03-04

UK: Scotland

Nature

Landscapes

Outdoor

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